1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sandwich panels and more particularly to factory fabricated field assembled modular building structures and methods of assembly which efficiently utilize laminated sandwich panels.
There has been much effort and extensive work done in recent years to find solutions to the housing and building needs of third world countries and other low income areas of the world.
Heretofore, most of the efforts to solve the housing and community building needs for the less fortunate have met with little or no success. There are numerous reasons why others have had little success but the primary reason is that no one has been able to deliver a low cost, pre-packaged, factory fabricated, efficient, easy to assemble, structurally sound aesthetically appealing unit to the area of need. In order to meet such demanding criteria, it is necessary to provide a pre-engineered, insulated structural panel which can be produced and fabricated to exacting dimensional and structural standards and then effectively utilize that panel not only for the walls and partitions but also for the roof without depending upon other primary structural roof supports.
This invention discloses a novel and unique building system which utilizes laminated panels structurally not only for the walls but also for a completely self supporting cathedral type roof. Such a laminated panel roof structure, without requiring interior supports, makes an exceptionally efficient and versatile building with the option of leaving the interior completely open or arranging interior partitions for complete design flexibility. The efficient module units of this invention may be joined with passageway connectors to provide a wide variety of building combinations and arrangements. Used singly, the module units provide aesthetic single family dwellings or used in combination and various sizes, they become an impressive complex structure suitable for many purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some prefabricated sandwich panel systems use post and beam wall and roof primary structures to which they attach panels. Others support roof panels with interior walls or ridge beams. Still others use conventional roof trusses to which they attach the sandwich panels. None use the panels themselves as the primary roof support.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,563 is an example of prefabricated building components. This patent discloses a structure using panel and connector modules of molded plastic material reenforced with glass fibers. The connector modules are elongated beam-like members having longitudinal extension open channels adapted to receive complimentary ribs on the edges of generally flat panel modules. The connector modules permit the assembling of panels in any desired angular relationship and are provided with interior passageways constituting conduits for electrical wiring, heating, water and waste facilities. In general, the panel members are provided at their edges with channels or ribs of special design adapted to mate with complimentary structures on elongated connector members to join the panels in any desired angular or coplanar relationship.
This invention is distinctive over this and the above mentioned systems in that it provides a completely self supporting paneled roof structure and other unique and novel associated systems by a panel, as disclosed in my above referred to copending application, formed by a pair of skins or face sheets bonded to an insulating core to form a panel unit of standard building panel dimensions normally having a length at least twice its width. The core is divided into three longitudinal sections, the major central section being 2/3 the width of the panel and two elongated longitudinal edge sections each being 1/6 the width of the panel. A pair of elongated planar stiffeners or bracing members, coextensive with the length of the insulating core sections, is symmetrically interposed between the core sections at 2/3 the width of the panel.
Longitudinal outer edge surfaces of the outermost core sections lie in a plane common to the surface of the adjacent edges of the respective skin or face. The skins or faces of the panel project beyond the end limit of the core sections a distance sufficient to nest a length of dimension lumber or other structural component when inserted therein. The outward longitudinal edge portions of the outermost core sections are beveled for receiving splicing members joining one longitudinal edge of one panel to another.
One end surface of the core sections is provided with a central groove extending transversely of the panel for receiving electrical wiring. Additionally, each outer core section is provided with a longitudinal groove communicating with the panel end transverse groove and extending toward the other end of the panel adjacent the outwardly disposed surface of the respective reinforcing or stiffening member.